Scott Walker - Scott 3

I am more than amazed by Scott Walker's voice. It is this deep and compelling baritone that's hard to describe well, although something like 'Frank Sinatra's voice but much sadder and darker' would perhaps begin to. It isn't a voice i'm used to and it's a little unsettling but as i listen to Scott 3, his third solo album released in 1969, it draws me into his own little world. And its a weird and wonderful world.

From the first track 'It's Raining Today' (you know how i love songs about rain), the lush orchestral arrangement, accompanied by an unsettling drone, together with Walker's reading of his lonely poem, set a scene of a rainy/snowy, kind of twisted winter-wonderland type picture. This theme is continued in the next track 'Copenhagen' where Walker professes his love as Christmas-y bells ring.

The rest of the album continues in this vein, his lyrics telling stories of different individuals that are weird, fascinating and endearing all the same. '30 Century Man' breaks the prevailing mood for awhile though, standing out in the middle with its acoustic guitar and a lack of strings, one of the best songs on the record too. When this was released, Scott Walker's songwriting was brandished as experimental and radical but listening to it now you can almost hear how ahead of his time he was. All in all, a beautiful record.

Scott 3
1. It's Raining Today
2. Copenhagen
3. Rosemary
4. Big Louise
5. We Came Through
6. Butterfly
7. Two Ragged Soldiers
8. 30 Century Man
9. Winter Night
10. Two Weeks Since You've Gone
11. Sons Of
12. Funeral Tango
13. If You Go Away

Scott Walker - Copenhagen /